Taking its name from the
Creek word meaning 'runaway' or 'those who camp at a distance,' this county was
originally part of the Seminole Nation, Indian Territory.
As a result of a
treaty with the Creeks in 1856, the Seminoles received an estimated 2,169,080
acres of land in the Indian Territory where they could establish their own
government and laws. They were the last of the Five Civilized Tribes to organize
their government in this region.
Although oil exploration
began near Wewoka as early as 1902, it was not until 1923 and the discovery of
the Greater Seminole Oil Field that the county experienced an
economic boom. By
September 1929, this became the premier high-gravity oil field in the United
States. Now, agriculture and manufacturing contribute to the economy.
Businesses engaged in the
production of clothing, oil field chemicals and tanks, air blasting equipment,
and many others are located in the area.
